In the 1990s I gathered stories from my Cleage Aunts and Uncles when we were all in Idlewild. Here are some of them from Gladys, Louis, Henry, Hugh and Barbara. They are about my grandmother Pearl, her siblings, and cousins. They took place in the late 1890s to the early 1900s.
An uncle had a trading post and sold whiskey. He measured it before he would go off and then again when he came back to make sure his wife was turning in all the money for whiskey sold. He was also the one who is reputed to have hung children in the fireplace by their thumbs for punishment. Louis denied this could have happened, while Henry said it did. Hugh chuckled.
The “Strawberry lady” was a family friend. My grandmother Pearl and Bessie, the daughter of Josephine would go and visit her sometimes. She had a great big strawberry patch and they would supposedly be picking them for dinner, but they’d be eating more. Then she would call them with an “Humm, humm, ladies.” She was a pleasant person. Gladys told this one.
Cousin Charlie bought Pearl a rifle when she was a child, which he showed her how to shoot. Her mother was not pleased. Another time he bought her a little wood cook stove that really worked. Also Gladys.
Pearl did have a cousin Charlie, however he was two years younger than Pearl. His father was also named Charlie, I think the gifts were from Uncle Charlie.
The memories following are from my Aunt Barbara.
George Reed was the oldest brother. He was the acting male head as he got older. He came to Indianapolis when he was fifteen and worked at Van Camps cannery. He soon brought the rest of the family up from Lebanon, Kentucky to Indianapolis, Indiana.
Barbara says Anna Reed married two brothers. She had one child, Ceorge, with the first husband. When he died and she and the other brother, Palmer, married and had two daughters, Sarah and Lillian Louise. When Palmer died, she had a long term relationship with the white doctor, Buford Avritt. Josephine was the oldest daughter and was born before her marriage to the Reeds.
The oldest daughter was Josie (Josephine) who was the languid Josephine of Gladys’ stories. She married and had two children, a son, Charlie and a daughter, Bessie. The husband left her one night and took the son with him. She never saw him again and sometimes would stand in front of his photograph and cry.
In the 1900 census, Anna Reed had birthed eight children and seven were still living. Josephine must have been dead because the rest are accounted for. Bessie is listed as a 14 year old daughter living in the Reed household in the 1900 census. When she was fifteen, Bessie ran away from home and was never heard from again. She didn’t like all the rules at George’s house.
George owned several houses and Pearl used to collect the rents for him. She took piano lessons. George was the oldest brother. Barbara described him as tan complexion and short. Clarence, the youngest brother, was nice looking and worked in Chicago.
Indianapolis, Indiana • Sun, Dec 3, 1893 Page 8